Sausage Pasta Bake is is your shortcut to lasagna comfort without the extra effort. Juicy sliced sausages, perfectly cooked pasta, crunchy baby spinach, and a creamy tomato sauce come together under a bubbly, golden cheese topping. It’s hearty, cheesy, and on the table in 40 minutes.
Although, this cheesy pasta bake is hearty enough on its own, pair it up with my cheesy garlic bread to bring in full comfort vibes. A simple side salad such as my creamy jalapeno popper cucumber salad would also serve nicely with this!
Table of Content
Looking for more comfort food dinner ideas? Check out my creamy mushroom pasta, chicken tikka masala and tomato basil soup with grilled cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Weeknight-friendly: This baked pasta with sausage is hearty, cheesy, and hits the table in 40 minutes.
- All-in-one meal: Protein, carbs, greens, and cheese; it’s got everything!
- Make-ahead friendly: Great for meal prep! Assemble it earlier, pop it in the fridge or freezer, and just bake when you’re ready.
- Easy to switch up: Play with the sausage, pasta shape, or toss in whatever veggies you’ve got.
- Great for parties: Makes a big batch, so everyone leaves full and happy, making it ideal for family luncheons, potlucks and dinners.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here's what you'll need for the sausage pasta bake recipe. See recipe card for quantities.
- Sausage: Any good-quality sausage works here—Italian beef sausage adds great flavor, but feel free to use chicken or turkey sausage. You can also sub with rotisserie chicken or shrimp.
- Pasta: Short pasta like penne, macaroni, rigatoni, ziti, or fusilli works best since they hold onto the sauce well.
- Butter & Flour: These form the base of a roux to thicken the sauce. You could swap in olive oil for the butter if needed.
- Onion & Garlic
- Tomato Paste: Triple concentrate gives you a deep, rich flavor fast. If you only have regular, just use a bit more and cook it down well to mellow the sharpness. You can also use tomato passata or marinara sauce.
- Chicken Stock Cube: for the flavor.
- Heavy Cream: I used cooking cream with 12% fat. You can swap with half and half too.
- Seasoning: You will need Italian herbs, smoked paprika, dried parsley, and white pepper. The stock cube and cheese adds enough salt, but feel free to add more if you feel like it. You can also add red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated parmesan. Pecorino, Grana Padano, or even a sharp cheddar can be subbed in if needed.
- Baby Spinach: Can sub with fresh veggies of your choice! Mushrooms, bell peppers, caramelized onions, or cherry tomatoes are all great options. Love the freshness from baby spinach? Try my Stuffed Chicken or Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Pasta!
- Mozzarella: For that melty cheese topping.
Step-by-Step with Photos
This creamy sausage pasta bake brings all the comfort of a classic lasagna with half the work. Let's make it!
Boil the pasta in a pot of salted water. Brown the sliced sausages. Pan-fry until golden on both sides, then remove.
Pro Tip: Cook the pasta slightly under. Boil it for about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions. It will finish cooking in the sauce while baking, keeping it perfectly tender without getting mushy.
Sauté onion and garlic till translucent. Add butter, cook until softened, then stir in flour to form a roux.
Make the sauce. Add tomato paste, crumbled stock cube, water, seasonings, and cream. Stir constantly to keep it smooth and lump-free.
Pro Tip: Don’t thicken the sauce too much. It thickens naturally as the pasta bakes and soaks it up. Always reserve some pasta water in case you need to make it more runny.
Stir in Parmesan. Let it melt into the sauce.
Pro Tip: Since the Parmesan and stock cube already bring saltiness, it’s best to taste first and then adjust the salt if needed.
Add sausages and drained pasta. Toss to coat everything evenly. Fold in baby spinach. Let it wilt slightly from the heat of the sauce.
Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and bake. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Pro Tip: While baking, in the last 1-2 minutes, switch on the broiler to get a beautiful crispy, golden top. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving, so it sets a little. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Make It Ahead
You can make this dish in advance for parties or meal prep! Assemble the whole sausage pasta casserole (without baking), cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready, bake straight from the fridge and just add an extra 5–10 minutes to the bake time.
You can also freeze it! Let it cool completely, then cover it tightly or portion it into containers. It freezes well for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake until warmed through.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot all the way through. For best results, cover the pasta bake with foil and reheat in a 170°C (340°F) oven with a splash of water until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions if you’re in a hurry.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prevent pasta bake from drying out, make sure the pasta is slightly undercooked and well-coated in a generous amount of sauce before baking. Cover the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes to retain moisture, then uncover to brown the cheese. Avoid overbaking, as that can dry it out. When reheating, add a splash of milk or cream and cover with foil to help bring back some of the moisture.
You can easily “hide” extra veggies in the sauce without changing the creamy, cheesy character of the bake. Zucchini and broccoli are great options since they blend in well. Other good choices include finely diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or carrots—just sauté or chop them with the sausage so they soften and cook down.
More Delicious Pastas
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📖 Recipe
Sausage Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 small (150 g) sausages sliced
- 2½ cups (250 g) spiral pasta like rotini or fusilii
- 2 tablespoon (28 g) butter unsalted
- ½ (40 g) onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste triple concentrated
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1½ cup water
- 1½ cup (360 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- Salt to taste
- ⅓ cup (30 g) parmesan freshly grated
- 2 cups (50 g) baby spinach, lightly packed
- 2½ cup (250 g) mozzarella shredded
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and pan-fry until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. This ensures it finishes cooking in the oven. Time it so the pasta is ready to be added directly to the sauce.
- In the same pan used for the sausages, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to eliminate the raw taste. Crumble in the chicken stock cube and slowly pour in the water, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Stir in the heavy cream and tomato paste. Season with Italian herbs, smoked paprika, white pepper and dried parsley. Let the sauce simmer and thicken slightly. It should still be looser than a classic béchamel. Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Adjust salt if required.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with baby spinach, and sliced sausages to the sauce. Stir well to combine everything evenly. Turn off heat.
- Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) on the top rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. For an extra crispy top, broil during the last 2 to 3 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving! Top with fresh basil and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Use any short pasta like penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or macaroni. They hold the sauce well and bake evenly.
- Feel free to swap the sausages with the protein of your choice like chicken or shrimp.
- Add extra veggies such as mushrooms, carrots, or broccoli for more nutrition. Sauté or steam them first so they soften properly.
- Make ahead and store: Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot.
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